Clueless
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Diary of an Aristocrat
After reading “The Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover,” I gained a sense of what life was like for men of the aristocratic classes. Their life consisted of leisure, and pleasure filled with over indulgence.
When the aristocrats woke up in the morning when they pleased, and had free time to use as they wished. William Byrd chose to read “two chapters in Hebrew and some Greek in Lucian.” This quote shows how educated and literate the aristocratic classes were, and in their free time they enjoyed learning. Learning wasnt the only thing the aristocratic classes enjoyed doing. They also had free time to drink cider, take walks in gardens, and hang out with important people. William Byrd got to work and eat lunch with the Colonel Duke and the governor.
The aristocratic class also got to indulge in luxurious foods and drinks. Food and beverages werent only needed to survive, but more to enjoy. They had wines, coffee, and cider to sip on at social gatherings. On the other hand, the slaves were starved for food and needed any bit to survive. In many of the diary entries he states, “we drank an abundance of cider, drank coffee, and French wine.” The food they got to take pleasure in was fowl, bacon, fish, and boiled beef. These types of food were pure luxury compared to the left over pieces the slaves got.
“The Secret Diary of William Byrd” shows the influence the aristocrats had on other people. The aristocratic classes had people do things for them, and the people did as they were told. For example he states, “I sent Tom home with a letter to my wife to comfort her.” He has power over people, which make them do as they are told. Another example is when he causes “Jack and John to be whipped.” His influence and status had a say in what was done to other people. With the snap of his fingers he could cause